Posture Care Corner

Posture Care Corner

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OTHER GREAT POSTURE EXERCISES

Time and time again I ask patients if they are doing there daily home exercises I prescribed. Of course I get the coy look that says it all… “Well I would have but I don’t have enough time in the day to take care of myself.”

Daily stretching of the muscles around your spine and skeletal structure are essential to maintaining healthy joints. If you can integrate stretching as a routine habit then it can not only speed up the process of daily stretching but insure less stress to your spine and nervous system (the ultimate goal).

I try to have my patients equate the daily stretching habit to brushing their teeth. if you can find a specific time during the day and do it routinely then it automatically becomes part of your habitual make-up.

So why not stretch in the shower? Not only do you have the added benefit of the hot water to lengthen and sooth the muscles but for most of us, its a habit we perform daily.

Here are a few examples of my top 6 stretches that are both time sensitive and attack the majority of the muscle groups.

Click on images to the left and follow arrow.

Shower Stretching

The media portrays the holidays as a joyous time when family and friends get together. The truth, in many cases, is just the opposite. Holiday stress is so common that it even affects some people’s health and well-being. Here at In-Joy Life Chiropractic and Laser Care our chiropractor, Dr. Thomas Burge, sees patients every year suffering from chronic pain due to stressful holiday practices. While almost everyone has family and social obligations of some type, you can cut down on the dangerous holiday stress by making a series of small changes in your life.

Some of the oldest sayings are still true. If you don’t take care of yourself, no one else will. Put a healthy dose of self-interest into your holiday plans. No one will enjoy the occasion if it makes you sick, or if you’re in pain. Strike a happy medium between going overboard and doing only what you want, just to make sure you don’t finish the season suffering.

Cut down on your holiday travel plans. The weather can be bad for driving, inexperienced drivers can make bad decisions, and the odds of a car accident rise during this month. Whiplash alone can mean months of chiropractic care, so cut down on the chances of it happening.

Continue to exercise and watch your food intake during the holidays. If you’ll be indulging in treats, adjust your menu earlier in the day.

Ask for help when doing heavy jobs. Make putting up the tree, stringing lights, and hauling gifts a group effort. Sharing the work puts less strain on your back.

Give yourself the gift of time. Schedule time for yourself to reduce your holiday stress. Spend it exercising, relaxing, or doing something you love. If you’re suffering from pain, take the time to make a chiropractic appointment. Don’t put it off until later.

Take care when doing extra tasks. Shoveling snow and picking up new grandchildren might not be something your spine is used to. Avoid damage by adjusting the task to your abilities. Share the job, sit down when you pick up the kids, do whatever it takes.

5 Must Exercises to Improve YOUR Posture

If you want to improve your posture then these daily exercise are must to incorporate into your exercise routine or daily health habits.

WALL SLIDE: Stand in a semi-squat position with your back, shoulders, head and the back of your arms and hands in contact with a wall. Start with your arms in a 90/90 position and slowly raise them straight above your head. The key here is to never lose contact of your arms against the wall. Repeat 8 to 10 times.

WALL SQUATS: Starting position for the wall squat is upper and lower back in contact with the wall and legs triangulated and secured away from the wall. Slowly squat down until your knees are at an 90 degree angle. Hold this position for 1 min. then slowly return to the start position. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

BIRD DOG: Start this exercise on your hands an knees. Slowly and at the same time lift your opposite arm and leg so they are positioned straight up and out, slightly higher then the torso. Return to the hands and knees position and repeat to the other side. Perform 12-15 times on each side.

BACK EXTENSIONS ON BALL: Position your mid torso on a large exercise ball. With your arms straight to the side and thumbs up lift your upper torso off the ball by using your lower back and mid back muscles. Hold at the top for 5 seconds and then return to a relaxed position. Repeat 10 to 12 times.

PLANK: Prop yourself up on your elbows in a 90 degree angle and directly below your shoulder joints. Lift your body up so you are balancing on your toes. Hold for 1 min and repeat 3-5 times

Consult with your Chiropractor before performing these exercises to ensure they are right for you.

Darts an Exercises to Improve YOUR Posture

With the advent of the constant use of technology into our daily lives and the correlation in health related postural problems, it is becoming more apparent that people most incorporate postural exercises to combat poor posture.

Poor longstanding posture has been related to heart and lung issues and even early mortality!

If you want to improve your posture, then this daily exercise is a must to incorporate into your exercise routine or daily health habits.

Core

When you hear the word “Core” what do you immediately think of? Let me guess, your abs. Core tends to be more of a catch phrase and actually refers to much more than just your abdominal muscles. Your core includes everything besides your arms and legs. It is incorporated in almost every movement of the human body. Your core is designed to act as an isometric or dynamic stabilizer for movement, transfer force from one extremity to another, or initiate movement itself. If you have a weak “core” it also leads to bad posture. February is Love Your Posture month so let’s break it down.

I want to focus on the abdominal muscles and their role in your posture. The abdominal muscle group is composed of three muscles: the rectus abdominis, the abdominal oblique and the transverse abdominis. The rectus abdominis flexes the spine on the pelvis and aids in anterior support for the pelvis. The abdominal oblique rotates and laterally flexes the spine on the pelvis. The transversus abdominis aids in rotational support of the pelvis.

What happens when there’s a weakness? Anterior abdominal weakness causes chronic instability of the pelvis due to abnormal pelvic rotation and movement. Shortening of the rectus abdominis can increase thoracic kyphosis and cause the head to be carried anteriorly. This most often leads to decreased cervical and thoracic rotation and causes pain and discomfort in the region of the cervical and thoracic spine. If the transversus abdominis is weak, the abdomen relaxes at 70 degrees of lumbar flexion.

So what does all this mean for you? Weak abdominals = poor posture! You want to strengthen your abdominals to help with proper posture, and that will also lead to less pain!